Ambitious year-12 students from state schools all over the South West, from as far away as Falmouth and Ilfracombe, travelled to Cambridge last week to learn more about life at a top university.
Ambitious year-12 students from state schools all over the South West, from as far away as Falmouth and Ilfracombe, travelled to Cambridge last week to learn more about life at a top university.
The 62 pupils from 21 schools were hosted by Downing College, which works with state schools in the South West. They stayed overnight at Downing and took part in sessions to inform them on the University's admissions process.
The potential Cambridge applicants included pupils from Exeter College, Exmouth College, Coombeshead College, Kingsbridge Community College and Honiton Community College. Downing College gave them £65 each towards their travel expenses and provided them with meals and accommodation, plus the treat of a punting tour on the River Cam.
Oliver Putt (pictured right), a pupil at Kingsbridge, said: “I like the way the Cambridge natural sciences course is structured, enabling you to study a broad range of subjects before specialising – plus the fact that a Cambridge degree is highly valued."
All students taking part in the Cambridge visit were given £65 each towards their travel expenses by Downing College, which also provided them with meals and accommodation, plus the treat of a punt tour on the River Cam.
Punting along the Backs, admiring the architecture of buildings that dated back to the 14th century, was a new experience. The students agreed that although Cambridge was beautiful, the people were “not too posh” and came from a wide range of backgrounds.
Jonathan Hunt (pictured left), also from Kingsbridge, said: “The visit blew away some of our preconceived ideas of what Cambridge might be like. The Colleges merge with the town, and people were having plenty of fun as well as working hard. Lots of undergraduates come from state schools and you don't need to be well-off to study as there's lots of extra financial support available.”
Jess Royles, School and College Liaison Officer for Downing College, who organised the open days, said: “It is fantastic that so many South West students made the journey to Cambridge. Visiting Cambridge is the best way for pupils to learn about the University and to see for themselves that the people from all backgrounds enjoy living and working here.”
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